roosting bar position

[lpfdco237]

So the coop was just finished but I'm not crazy about the placement of the roosting bars. I made a quick sketch of the coop - it's a 4x4 shed with a 9x10 run. I'll have a max of 8 hens.

Currently, there are 4 foot bars (2x2's) across the coop.


Idea 1 is to move them to go along the left wall - stacking them like so, but I suspect I'll run into lower bar poop issues. This would be the easier option to have a poop box below



Or idea 2 is to make a t and have one along the left wall and a higher one along the nesting box wall, but higher than the boxes.

I don't have any options to enlarge or change the layout of the coop. I'm limited on size by ordinance and all the holes have been cut in the walls for the nesting boxes and doors. Help me work with what I've got please.

 

[lpfdco237]

I just had another thought where I could put the roosting bar across the back of the coop above the nesting boxes and put a ladder going up to it. I could even put two bars parallel at the height so there's plenty of room for everyone without having to worry about a pecking order and who gets top bunk.

Thoughts?

 

[ScottandSam]

I just had another thought where I could put the roosting bar across the back of the coop above the nesting boxes and put a ladder going up to it. I could even put two bars parallel at the height so there's plenty of room for everyone without having to worry about a pecking order and who gets top bunk.

Thoughts?

I didn't see that as a option above?

 

[lpfdco237]

I didn't see that as a option above?

one roosting bar


or two roosting bars

 

[tinakevin]

I set mine up like option 2 and I have no fighting issues. It's all one level above the nest boxes

 

[ScottandSam]

I like Idea 2 from first post.

 

[lpfdco237]

I set mine up like option 2 and I have no fighting issues. It's all one level above the nest boxes

Thanks. This would also allow me to put in a poop box easier than having them go in two directions and trying to clean up under them

 

[tinakevin]

Poop boards are wonderful. my roosts r about 4 ft high so I provide them with a smaller bar that they can jump up on to get up or down without Injuring themselves

 

[aart]

8 birds in a 4x4 coop is probably going to be twice as many birds as will comfortably, and healthily, live in there.
Roost is best 1 foot away from wall.

Problem with a poop board/box and the 1 foot from wall means poop board need to be 2 feet wide,
and then there's little room for the birds to get down without crashing into wall.

You might want to fit feed and water in there too.

 

[TalkALittle]

Unfortunately, chickens aren't able to levitate up to the roost. They need to have adequate space for a take-off and landing zone. In a 4x4 space there really isn't much room for more than a single roost placed 1 foot from the wall.